An Avonlea Snowstorm
by Lilies of Avonlea
Summary: Gilbert and Anne get trapped in an old shed trying to get to a party at the Pye's after a school bake sale on a snowy winter night.
1. Chapter 1

This story is set around the time of the first book. Enjoy:)

_An Avonlea Snowstorm_

The first official Avonlea-School-Bake-Sale had been the entire idea of Anne Shirley and Diana Barry. Anne had woken up in a charitable mood one November morning and decided that the Avonlea schoolchildren should raise money for a worthy cause, such as the newly finished Carmody hospital. So she enlisted the help of her bosom friend and together they presented the idea to Ms. Stacy, who loved it. Personally, Diana thought it rather silly to have a bake sale in the dead of winter, but Anne was adamant. "It may be winter, but who does not love a good treat? The proceeds could go to the Carmody hospital, and I am sure they would love the support." She had said dismissively. So they went to work organizing the affair with Diana finding the idea much more agreeable.  
>Diana and Ruby were in charge of decorations, Jane of publicity, Gilbert Blythe &amp; Co. of setting up, and Anne of supervising and helping with everything.<p>

Now the Pye girls were feeling very very left out, Josie in particular, as all they had to do was bring three pies, so they contrived a party to be held after the sale at their house. Josie had it all planned out. There was to be cakes, plum puffs, candy, ice cream, cookies, games, and some more wholesome delicacies because Mrs. Pye did not want "All you young ones to be sugared up in her respectable home."

"The breads go by the door, the pies at the back, and the specialities in the middle," Anne instructed to the boys. After the food was arranged, Gilbert saddled over to where Anne was on a chair trying to hang a sign.  
>"Need some help?" Gilbert thought his timing was perfect.<br>"Just because I am a girl does not mean I am incapable of hanging a sign all by myself!" The red-head shot at him. Gilbert raised an eyebrow as both the sign and Anne crashed to the floor.  
>"Really?"<br>Anne was about to retort when the schoolhouse door flew open and the Ladies Aid Society led by none other than Rachel Lynde entered. Anne stood up and brushed off. Her honor was at stake.  
>Gilbert hung the sign himself. She would just have to deal with his aid this time, especially with Marilla watching and Mrs. Lynde watching.<p>

Marilla sighed in relief as she brought a lemon cake, which looked as if a certain Moody Spurgeon had enjoyed the icing. Her twenty pounds of brown sugar had been put to good use, she noted Diana and Anne proudly showing their cookies to Mrs. Allan. It looked as if a scheme of Anne's was coming off perfectly, for once.  
>"If the snow starts blowing hard, I want you both to come right home," Marilla told Anne and Diana.<br>"Oh we will!" They choursed.  
>"Do you think we could use that as an excuse to get out of the Pye's party?" Diana whispered.<br>"No, we have to go," Anne whispered back.  
>Diana raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said you would never never attend a party that Gilbert would be at-" Anne dismissed it saying "Everyone else including that person would be there. If we did not go we would be the laughing stalk of the School." Diana saw the point and noded.<p>

The sale was a smash success. The Pye girls left early however, "To get ready for the party," Josie said with a significant glance at Gilbert (which was ignored).  
>"That was the best bake sale we've ever had!" Ruby exclaimed giddily as they counted the money.<br>"That was the only bake sale we've ever had," Jane reminded her.  
>"Well I think all the credit goes to Anne Shirley!" a gallant Gilbert declared. The students applauded.<br>"We all made it a success, I didn't do it all by myself you all helped." Anne said, ignoring the hazel eyes that were staring at her.  
>"Um, what do we do with the pies?" Moody asked.<br>Everyone turned around. Not a single Pye pie had been bought. After a few seconds of awkward but hilarious silence, Miss Stacy said, "Well you can just take them to the party and eat them there." They agreed, put on their coats, and set out for what was to be a very long night.

It was two miles to the Pye house. It was fine in the snow at first, but Gilbert started to worry when it started blowing harder. Slowly but surely, it got whiter and whiter and whiter until you could not see your hand in front of you if you tried.  
>"Anne! Where are you! Anne!" a terrified Diana shouted over the wind.<br>"Di, I'm right here!"  
>"Oh Anne, I'm so cold and scared and cold and scared and cold and scared and-"<br>"Just hold on to me Di and don't stop walking!" Anne shouted, almost blinded by the snow.  
>"Where's Ruby? Anne I don't see Ruby!"<br>Screaming came from a few yards away.  
>"HELP! HELP! HELP! I'M DROWNING! I'M DROWNING IN SNOW!" Well they could sure hear Ruby.<br>"Anne! Anne!" Anne never thought she would enjoy hearing Gilbert's voice as much as she did now.  
>"I'm right here! I have Diana and Ruby but I can't find Jane!"<br>"She's over here. Moody! Don't let go of Charlie!" Gilbert tried to direct everyone, "Link arms and just don't let go of each other!"  
>Twelve frightened, half-frozen Avonlea schoolchildren fought their way through the snow. Soon, it was completely white.<p>

For years afterward, the Avonlea mothers would thank God for old Josiah Sloane, and the fact that he never tore his hideous five-hundred-year-old shed down. That shed would later be considered a monument by the mothers of Avonlea for years to come.  
>Anne truly thought she was about to die. She had never faced death before, she had read about it and imagined it, but never faced it. Then, having no idea where she was or where she was going, she found herself face to face with a wall-like object.<br>"Gilbert! I've found something! I think it's the Pye's house!"  
>"Get in Anne, just get in! I'll get everyone else!" Gilbert shouted.<br>"Oh no you don't! Your not going to let me sit idle by while the rest are freezing."  
>"Anne just get in the house! Don't be an idiot! This isn't a novel-"<br>"Who are you calling an idiot!?" Anne shouted over the wind, "Where's Diana?"  
>"GET IN THERE ANNE!" She had no choice but to try and do as Gilbert told her. Anne felt around what she thought was the Pye's house, then abruptly fell into what she discovered was a shed.<p>

They were safe. Somewhat safe. Everyone was accounted for. They all huddled together in the shed, terrified and freezing.  
>Gilbert watched as Anne gave her coat to Diana, who looked like a ghost.<br>"Here Anne," Gilbert took his off, though it was freezing, and put it around Anne. She tried to give it back but he wouldn't take it. Gil thought a minute, then dared to grab her hands and hold them in his.  
>"To keep the circulation going," he said dumbly. It was obvious why he had grabbed them.<br>To his astonishment, she didn't pull away, but scooted closer to him. Was this happening? Did Anne Shirley just sit close to him? He put one arm around her and the other around Diana. "We are going to get through this, alright?" he told his classmates. None of them believed him but nodded and kept rubbing their hands together.

"Anne! Anne Shirley! Don't you dare fall asleep! Anne Shirley! Wake up!" Anne awoke to Gilbert shaking her hard, but not to hard she was Anne after all.

"I'm sorry, but I had too, you can't fall asleep in a blizzard Anne," Gilbert pulled his coat tighter around her.  
>"Your going to get it when this is over," Anne told him, but it wasn't in a mean way, there was a sparkle in her eye when she said it. Gilbert smiled.<p>

Diana patted a shivering Ruby Gillis on the head. "It's okay, it's okay." Goodness, Ruby was not helping the situation. Diana had been watching her best friend with Gilbert. It was obvious something was going on. Anne had his coat on, then there was the hand incident from the hour before...what was with Anne? Maybe it was just the circumstances, Diana wondered.

Anne hugged Gilbert. He was shocked. Was Anne Shirley hugging him? The person she had sworn never to forgive in her life? Then she got up and looked around. In the corner she spotted a large pile of old quilts. She grabbed them and started passing them around. "Can I help with anything Anne?" said Gilbert from behind."Well, if you could see if there is anything else in that corner where I found the quilts that would be helpful." She said as she handed the last blanket to him. He walked over and there was a lantern and a few matches. "Here I found this lantern we could light and a open box of matches. If we use it at least it won't be so dark." He said when he walked back to where Anne was standing. "Oh good!" She said. They lit the lamp and huddled together as they fell asleep.

"Katie?" Anne said as she sat in front of the window. "I know I have not talked to you in a while, but everyone else is asleep and I just needed to talk to someone." She said talking to Katie Morris, or her reflection with a name if that is what you prefer. "I don't know if I will live to see another morning so I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings, and if you see Violeta tell her I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to her." She started to cry now. "Anne?" Gilbert said as he put his arms around her crying form. "What's wrong?" He said when she turned around startled. "Nothing, I was just setting a few things straight." She said quickly wiping her tears away. "With who?" He questioned. " My old imaginary friend when I was in the orphanage. I haven't talked to her since I moved to Green Gables and I didn't want any hard feelings toward me from her if I-" She couldn't say the last word. So they fell silent for awhile. "Why don't you sit with me for awhile and talk until everyone wakes up." He said walking her over to the pile of sleeping children.

When Matthew Cuthbert entered the old Sloane shed the next morning, what he saw was quite interesting, but something he would have NEVER EVER EVER told his sister. He saw Anne, um, he didn't know how to put this, in the arms of the Blythe boy.  
>To be precise, Gilbert had both his arms around Anne, who was crying. The others were asleep, all huddled together for warmth. But Gilbert and Anne were talking. Matthew couldn't help but listen in, before making his presence known.<br>"I'm so sorry Gil, for everything. I'm so so sorry."  
>"Don't be," he brushed a strand of hair away from face, "it was all my fault, really." Matthew had never been so amazed in all his life.<br>"If we die here, Gil-"  
>"We're not going to die Anne, they'll come for us anytime. It's going to be fine." What happened next was something that would of shocked Avonlea to it's core.<br>Gilbert Blythe kissed Anne Shirley.  
>It was as simple as that. Matthew turned away from his place at the window, took a moment, then knocked on the door. When he entered, Anne was on the other side of the shed, and it looked as if nothing had happened.<br>Matthew Cuthbert would take that secret to his grave.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been weeks since the storm and everything had gone back to normal. Well almost everything... The parents of the children did not let them go out in even an inch of snow, The children when asked if they wanted to do another bake sale years after would absolutely refuse, and mothers would go up to the Sloane's shed and thank God for His mercy upon their children.

Anne walked toward the school one Monday morning. She had managed to avoid contact with Gilbert since they were rescued (much to her relief). Both by avoiding him on purpose and by accidentally contracting pneumonia soon after.

"Anne!" Called someone from behind.

She turned around to behold Gilbert Blythe himself. "Mr. Blythe." She said nodding.

"Where have you been? I heard you got over your pneumonia and I looked around for you all weekend, but you were no where to be found." He said.

"For you information Mr. Blythe I was at home helping Marilla with some sewing." She said stoutly.

"Ah so we're back to that are we?" He said a bit of humor and sadness in his tone.

"Back to what?" She said quizzically.

"Back to the way it was before. You point that pretty little nose of yours up in the air and barely acknowledge my presence." He stated seriously.

"I do not do that!" She said forgetting herself.

"Oh but you do. Ever since I called you carrots you have been that way." He said.

"You hurt my feelings _excruciatingly_." She said defensively.

"Well apparently no all so _excruciatingly_ since you let me kiss you." He whispered in her ear.

She looked horrified. "If you tell anyone about that, I don't care if it isn't lady like, I will drag you over to the Lake and dump you in." She threatened in a whispered.

"No need for that Anne." He said throwing his hands up in the air in mock surrender.

"There better not be, but just so we are clear I have no qualms about pushing you in the Lake of Shining Waters or as you unimaginative people call it Barry's Pond."

She joked before she remembered herself and brushed past him disdainfully. "Have a nice day Mr. Blythe." She said before entering the schoolhouse.

The rest of the day dragged by slowly. Usually he was animate In Ms. Stacey's lessons, but he had to talk to Anne and get some answers. He had to know why she joked with him one moment and scorned him the next. "Couldn't she just pick one?" He thought.

"Now can anyone tell me why Elizabeth hates Mr. Darcy from their first meeting. Gilbert? How about you?" He heard Ms. Stacy ask.

He stood up and glanced at Anne. "I believe she hates him because of one small thing he said. 'She isn't pretty enough to tempt.' That dislike is further fueled by Wickham who gets the whole neighborhood to believe Darcy is a bad person. Ignoring the facts surrounding her, she continues to be prejudiced toward him. Despite his numerous attempts to make it up to her." He finished with a significant look at Anne and sat down.

"How about we get this from a girl's perspective too, Anne?" Anne tore her gaze from Gilbert and stood.

"She has every right to hate him. He said 'She isn't pretty enough to tempt.' Why that is just a nice way to say she's ugly. Sure Wickham lied to everyone, but she didn't know and he was so much nicer to Elizabeth than Mr. Darcy was. Darcy did try to make it up to her, but imagine if the man who called you ugly tried to make it up to you. Why, you would think he was lying through his teeth. Especially since the first thing that ever came out of his mouth regarding you was as hateful as she is not pretty enough to tempt!" Anne exclaimed, her cheeks pink with passion.

"Well, that is intresting. How do you two relate to the characters?" Ms. Stacey questioned them both.

Anne answered first.

"Gilbert insulted me in a similar way. 'Being smart is better than pretty.' That is one of the most hateful thing anyone has ever said to me... Besides 'CARROTS!'"She glared over at Gilbert. "He doesn't even mean it when he apologizes."

That was it! He would set her straight. He had tried not to jump out of his seat during her episode, but could do it no longer. "Well, _Anne_ took my sentiments about her wrong as well. We barely knew each other and I wanted her attention. Though I pretended I didn't care. She never looked at me once. Yes I called her carrots, but she was ignoring me. I meant it when I apologized. I did say that being smart is better than pretty but that was in front of Charlie and Moody. I could very well say 'I think Anne is the smartest **and** prettiest girl in school.' Did I just say that? Oh God." He started to walk out of the school house.

He stopped at the front door. "I thought you forgave me Anne Shirley." He turned the knob and left.


	3. Chapter 3

Anne felt panic rise inside of her, so it was out of pure impulse that she ran out of the schoolhouse after Gilbert. The class looked after her in astonishment.

"What is with those two!" Josie scoffed.

"Oh put a sock in it Josie." Diana said. She had had enough of Josie Pye. Not only was she a Pye (which made her disliked from the start), but she had an obvious and equally pathetic infatuation with Gilbert. (Not to mention a distaste for her bosom friend.)

"Oh but it's not lady like to run out after a boy. No one wants to associate with girls like that. Don't you agree Charlie?" Josie rebuked as she fluttered her eye lashes at Charlie.

"Not really. I actually want to associate with her more than you." He answered honestly.

"Humph." Josie put her nose in the air. "Apparently your all too dim witted to realize I'm right." She said haughtily.

"Josie Pye! I will not tolerate your insults in my classroom. You will stay after school and write me a essay on what it means to be polite." Mrs. Stacey said sternly. With that the class fell silent.

"Gilbert!" Anne said as she ran down the red path towards him. He didn't stop he just kept walking. "Gil, please listen to me." She had stopped a few feet in front of him.

To her surprise he stopped and said "I think you said what you needed to back there. Why add anything else?" His voice cutting with anger, sadness, and dejection.

"Because I didn't mean any of it. Not a word. You know I say thing I don't mean sometimes. I wanted to forget what happened before. Part of that meant trying to make things the way they were before." She tried to explain.

"Forget? Make things the way they were before? Anne, you _know_ that can never happen. Either what happened can change everything for the better or the worse. Take your pick." He said anger tinging his voice.

"I just don't know what to do around you anymore. We could go on with our rivalry, but you don't want that. We could be friends, but we can't do that because you kissed me and I kissed back. We could be like a couple or something, but I'm stubborn and hot tempered. It wouldn't last because of it. We both have our ambitions... What if we got in each others' way? I couldn't bare it if I got in your way." She said sadly.

"Got in my way? Anne! You could never do that. You are the only one I've only ever dreamt of you being with me for so long... As a friend and a beau." He said, his anger melting into understanding. "Really?" Anne said in disbelief. "Really." He said with a smile on his lips. A sigh of relief escaped Anne.

"Why don't we get back to class?" Anne suggested. "Sure. One more thing though..." He leaned forward and kissed her. Little did they know Matthew Cuthbert happened to be on his way to Lawson's Store. "_Another secret to take to my grave." _Mathew thought_. _He didn't need to keep it a secret though because thier class was watching from the window...


	4. Chapter 4

They walked back in silence not noticing the commotion in the schoolroom.

"Gilbert kissed Anne!" Josie shrieked. She had always thought Gilbert Blythe would have her first kiss. Anne Shirley had gotten in the way of that.

"Oh do shut your mouth Josie. You had no chance with Gilbert before Anne came and you certainly don't now." Jane Andrews said.

"Well did you ever think you had a chance, little miss perfect?" Josie sniffed.

"No. Gilbert and I were chums before and we are chums now. Sure I had a crush once but what girl in this room hasn't? You should consider yourself lucky he let you hang on his arm at all." Jane said calmly.

"Well. If I-" Josie was cut of by Charlie and Moody.

"Be quiet already! No one likes you except you and all the other self centered snotty Pyes!" They said in unison.

Josie's eyes got wide. "What?! if I were you I would not say thing like that. Moody, you have horribly googled eyes and Charlie you've had a crush on-" Again Josie's snide comment was cut short.

The class went silent for just a second as Anne walked in followed by Gilbert. It was a awkward silence. The kind that fills the air with anxiety and uncertainty. Josie was the first to break it.

"Oh hello Anne! Are you alright Gilbert? You left in _such_ a huff." Josie flittered her eyelashes in his direction.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "I am just fine now, Josie." He said as calmly as he could.

"Is everything okay, Anne?" Her Bosom Friend said.

"Yes Dearest Diana." She said soothingly.

"Since you both left class without permission I will have to ask you to stand infront of the blackboard for the rest of the day." Ms. Stacy said.

"Yes Miss Stacy." They said as they walked up to the blackboard.

She wrote lines above them.

It read: "_We will not disrupt class again. We will learn from our mistakes._"

When class was over and they were dismissed their classmates confronted them in the schoolyard.

"We were watching inside from a window." Fred Wright said.

"You were!?" Both said in shock as the color rose in their cheeks.

"Yes, we did." Ruby Gillis spoke up.

"W-What did you see exactly?" Anne asked shakily.

"Oh we saw a lot of thing, but one thing caught our attention the most." Josie said with a dark undertone.

"What caught your eye? If you do not mind me asking." Gilbert said calmly.

"Nothing really... Just a _redhead_ being kissed by someone with _dark... brown... curly_ hair." Fred said emphasizing on every descriptive word.

"You saw that?" Anne said quietly.

"I'm hurt you didn't tell me before Gil was your beau." Diana whispered.

"We had a conversation and one thing lead to another. We weren't even together like that really before." Anne explained.

"I'm happy for you both." Diana said hugging her bosom friend.

"I on the other hand have some very choice words for you both. You shouldn't have done that. I'm gonna tell Mrs. Lynde about this and then the whole town will know." Josie said in her most Queen of the Snotty voice.

"Go ahead." Anne said after Gilbert nodded his consent.

"Well then I won't tell." Josie said.

"We'll tell her ourselves." Gilbert said.

With that they walked away with Diana and Fred who had some news to tell as well.

** Okay so this could be really bad because I wrote this at 2:00 AM ( Otherwise known as stupid o'clock.)**

**This may also be one of my last posts for a while because on Monday I start high school.**

**Feedback is always appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

The foursome started out for Mrs. Lynde's. Leaving some very shocked Avonlea Schoolers.

"What news do you have to tell Mrs. Lynde that I don't know about Diana Barry?" Anne said as they walked.

"Yes do tell us Fred." Gilbert said with a smirk.

"Well," Diana began nervously. "Fred and I are sort of thinking about c-courting." She finished with a stammer.

"Courting?!" Anne squeaked in shock.

"hmhm." Diana said quietly.

"Really? This... You... Fred.. _Together?_"Anne queried.

Diana turned pale. Did her Bosom Friend not approve? She was looking at her with eyes that were a cloudy grey. A sign that she was sad or hurt or _both_. Anne looked over at Fred. Her eyes flashed a fiery green. She most definitely did not like Fred. Her eyes only flashed green when she was angry. Diana saw Anne glance down at her hand intertwined with Fred's. Anne's expression was unreadable.

"Do you promise you won't ever hurt her, Fred?" She said at last.

"I swear." Fred said solemnly.

"You are sure you love him that way?" She asked Diana.

"I know he's not the dashing man I imagined when we were eleven, but he's all I dream of now." She looked up at Fred with shining eyes.

"Then I don't see anything wrong with this 'match'. What I do have a problem with, though is the fact you felt it more important to have Mrs. Lynde's approval and didn't care to have mine." Anne said reproachfully.

"Oh Anne it's not that way! I always want to know what you think." Diana said hurriedly.

"Do your parents know?" Anne inquired as they neared the Orchard Slope.

"No. We should tell our parents Freddie." Diana flitted her eyelashes at 'Freddie' as she said this.

"Meet you at Barry's Pond Gilbert?" Fred said after he cleared his throat.

"Sure." Gil said with a nod.

The girls looked at each other with amused smiles. Why were they using that unimaginative name?

"Well Diana I don't think we should meet at Barry's Pond." Anne said with a wink at her friend.

"Me either. Where do you think we should meet up?" Diana asked stiffening a giggle.

"Why, the Lake of Shining Waters of course." Anne said with a glimmer in her eyes and a smirk on her mouth.

"The Lake of Shining Waters sounds like the perfect spot. We'll meet there... That is if Fred and Gil agree. What do you boys think?" Diana was not the best at tricks, but this was greatest one she had ever been apart of. The boys had a look of confusion written on every feature.

"Lake of Shining What?" They asked in unison.

"Lake of Shining Waters." Anne answered.

"You can't tell us you don't know where that is." Diana chimed in.

"Well, n-no we don't." Fred stammered.

"It's only the most beautiful place in the world." Anne said with a theatrical flare.

"Definitely." Diana said in agreement.

"Where is this 'most beautiful place in the world' Anne?" Gilbert interrogated.

"It's just half a mile between Green Gables and Orchard slope." Anne answered.

"Half a mile... Green Gables... Orchard Slope... Hmm..." Gilbert thought aloud.

" Elaine the fair, Elaine the loveable,  
>Elaine, the lily maid of Astolat,<br>High in her chamber up a tower to the east  
>Guarded the sacred shield of Lancelot;<br>Which first she placed where morning's earliest ray" Anne recited.

"What?" Fred queered.

"Might strike it, and awake her with the gleam;  
>Then fearing rust or soilure fashioned for it<br>A case of silk, and braided thereupon  
>All the devices blazoned on the shield<br>In their own tinct, and added, of her wit,  
>A border fantasy of branch and flower,<br>And yellow-throated nestling in the nest.  
>Nor rested thus content, but day by day,<br>Leaving her household and good father, climbed  
>That eastern tower, and entering barred her door," Diana added.<p>

"What does a poem have to do with anything?" Gilbert asked. _Lancelot and a Elaine how cute. They don't actually think I'd forget The Unfortunate Lily Maid would they? Let them play all they like._

"Stript off the case, and read the naked shield,  
>Now guessed a hidden meaning in his arms,<br>Now made a pretty history to herself  
>Of every dint a sword had beaten in it,<br>And every scratch a lance had made upon it,  
>Conjecturing when and where: this cut is fresh;<br>That ten years back; this dealt him at Caerlyle;  
>That at Caerleon; this at Camelot:<br>And ah God's mercy, what a stroke was there!  
>And here a thrust that might have killed, but God<br>Broke the strong lance, and rolled his enemy down,  
>And saved him: so she lived in fantasy." Anne continued.<p>

"Camelot? What in the world girls does this have to do with this 'Lake of Shining Waters?" Fred inquired.

"How came the lily maid by that good shield  
>Of Lancelot, she that knew not even his name?<br>He left it with her, when he rode to tilt  
>For the great diamond in the diamond jousts,<br>Which Arthur had ordained, and by that name  
>Had named them, since a diamond was the prize.<p>

For Arthur, long before they crowned him King,  
>Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse,<br>Had found a glen, gray boulder and black tarn.  
>A horror lived about the tarn, and clave<br>Like its own mists to all the mountain side:  
>For here two brothers, one a king, had met<br>And fought together; but their names were lost;  
>And each had slain his brother at a blow;<br>And down they fell and made the glen abhorred:  
>And there they lay till all their bones were bleached,<br>And lichened into colour with the crags:  
>And he, that once was king, had on a crown<br>Of diamonds, one in front, and four aside.  
>And Arthur came, and labouring up the pass,<br>All in a misty moonshine, unawares  
>Had trodden that crowned skeleton, and the skull<br>Brake from the nape, and from the skull the crown  
>Rolled into light, and turning on its rims<br>Fled like a glittering rivulet to the tarn:  
>And down the shingly scaur he plunged, and caught,<br>And set it on his head, and in his heart  
>Heard murmurs, "Lo, thou likewise shalt be King." Diana persisted. <em>Please let one of them have a working brain.<em>

" Thereafter, when a King, he had the gems  
>Plucked from the crown, and showed them to his knights,<br>Saying, "These jewels, whereupon I chanced  
>Divinely, are the kingdom's, not the King's-<br>For public use: henceforward let there be,  
>Once every year, a joust for one of these:<br>For so by nine years' proof we needs must learn  
>Which is our mightiest, and ourselves shall grow<br>In use of arms and manhood, till we drive  
>The heathen, who, some say, shall rule the land<br>Hereafter, which God hinder." Thus he spoke:  
>And eight years past, eight jousts had been, and still<br>Had Lancelot won the diamond of the year,  
>With purpose to present them to the Queen,<br>When all were won; but meaning all at once  
>To snare her royal fancy with a boon<br>Worth half her realm, had never spoken word." Anne said dramatically. _Come on Gil you know this._

"Isn't this Lancelot and Elaine? The poem Ms. Stacy had us red a year ago?" Gilbert asked pretending to catch on. If those little ladies thought they could pull the wool over his eyes they were wrong. However, he would let them have their fun.

" Yes." Anne said with a sigh.

"Now for the central diamond and the last  
>And largest, Arthur, holding then his court<br>Hard on the river nigh the place which now  
>Is this world's hugest, let proclaim a joust<br>At Camelot, and when the time drew nigh  
>Spake" Gilbert quoted.<p>

"Exactly. You rescued me from drowning after the girls and I tried to reenact this. The spot that you saved me was called..." Anne waited for him to connect the dots.

"Barry's Pond." Gilbert finished.

"Or.." Diana added.

"The Lake of Shining Waters?" Fred said questioningly.

Anne nodded.

"Our boys aren't as dense as we thought them Anne." Diana laughed.

"Not as dense, but dense they are." Anne said with a smirk.

"Meet you there after we tell our parents and/or guardians?" Fred asked.

They all nodded in agreement.

**This chapter ran a little long because of the Lancelot and Elaine quotes. Sorry about that.**


	6. Chapter 6

Fred and Diana walked into Orchard Slope arm in arm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Once the door was closed behind the pair Gilbert turned to Anne and extended his hand.

"Shall we my lady?" He said with a playful little bow.

"Of course kind sir." She said with a curtsie and accepted his hand.

"Who should we tell first? My parents or Marilla and Matthew?" He asked.

"I don't know. You probably want to tell your parents, but I want so desperately to run to tell Marilla and Matthew at this moment." Anne said thoughtfully.

"Whatever my Anne wants I want." He said. he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"You're sure?" She grabbed his other hand and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Of course Anne." He said.

"Alright." She dropped his right hand and they walked down the red dirt paths toward Green Gables.

Gilbert looked over at Anne. Her golden-red hairs was in a half up tied with a velvet green ribbon, her curls falling gently over her shoulders and cascading down her back, her dress was a sea foam green which brought out the curves of her body, her eyes were glazed over, and a dreamy look dawned her features.

"Carrots." He whispered in her ear and tug a small bit of her hairs. She didn't turn, but a light pink blush crept up onto her cheeks.

He turned his head forward and they walked contentedly on.

Anne waited until she was sure he was focused ahead completely to turn her head and study him. A cap rested smartly on his brown curly haired head, his hazel eyes twinkled with joy, his mouth had a slight smile, he wore a crisp white collar shirt with a brown knitted vest and cackie colored pants. He was so different from the boy she had hated three years ago and yet, still very much that wickedly teasing boy deep down.

"We just have one more end then we'll be one door away to telling them." She said aloud

" Yup. You _are_ sure you want this?" He said uneasily.

"Of course. I like you like that. I never felt like this before." She said honestly.

"What do you feel like around me?" Gilbert asked searching his eyes.

"Like... I'm closer to being perfectly happy." She answered with shining eyes.

"Then lets go in." He said. They had not stopped walking during there conversation and presently found themselves at the front of Green Gables' kitchen door.

**Amazing, I only intended for this to be a one-shot and here we are at chapter six. With many chapters to go.**


	7. Chapter 7

Anne took a deep breath and opened the door. She walked in with Gilbert at her heels.

"Anne? Is that you?" Marilla called.

"Yes. I brought Gilbert Blythe here with me if you don't mind!" She shouted.

"Gilbert Blythe?" She said puzzled. That was... John's boy and last she heard Gilbert Blythe and Anne were by no means 'friends'.

"Yes Marilla. Mr. and Mrs. John Blythe's son." She said as she entered the parlor.

This conversation was uncomfortable to Gilbert and he hadn't even said a word. Ms. Cuthbert didn't seem to even grasp the concept that he was in her house. How would she even think of letting them court!

"Yes, yes I know. What is he doing here though?" Marilla questioned.

"He's my..." She looked over at Gilbert and his eyes told her everything. _It's not the right time._ "Friend." She said uncertainly.

Gilbert nodded nervously.

"Friend, eh?" She questioned.

"hmhm." Anne said.

"Your the boy she hit with a slate. Correct?" Marilla turned toward Gilbert.

"Yes Mam." He rubbed the back of his neck like he did whenever someone brought up the Slate Incident.

"Last I heard she hated you more than her hair Gilbert Blythe." She said not sure how this 'friendship' even came to be.

"Well... Sometimes things, no matter how hard you try to prevent it, are meant to happen." Gilbert said looking at Anne.

"Hm. Alright. Why don't you two go play or something. I have dinner to cook." Marilla said curtly.

"We have to meet Diana and Fred at the Lake of Shining Waters anyway." Anne said.

When they were outside both looked at each other blankly before bursting out laughing.

It hurt, but Marilla could barely believe they were friends. For now though, they had to meet up with Fred and Diana to see how they faired.

...

So believe it or not this chapter did not come out the way I thought it would. In fact I named the document GG Gets the News. That didn't happen did it! However this makes it so there can be a zillion more chapters. :)


	8. Chapter 8

As the couple approached the bridge the caught sight of a smiling and laughing Diana Barry.

"Anne! Isn't it wonderful? Mother and Father agreed to let us court!" She squealed.

Diana bounded to her.

"That's great." Anne smiled slightly.

Diana glanced over her friend's demeanor. Her shoulders were slumped, her hand clasped Gilbert's softer and less warmly than last she saw her, and her expressive eyes told of sadness.

"Why you two look so glum. What is wrong." Diana looked worriedly at the pair.

"Nothing really... Marilla just doesn't know yet." Anne said slowly.

"Doesn't know yet! Anne, how hard could telling her be?"

"Harder than you know." Gilbert said.

"How so?" Fred asked.

"When you have been enemies as long as we have... Lets just say telling people things like we were going to tell Marilla would be unbelievable." He explained.

"You had us all thinking you hated each other for weeks after that storm. Surely you can make Marilla believe anything you say." Diana tried desperately. She was so happy and she wanted that happiness for Anne.

"Perhaps in time." Was the only answer Anne gave before hugging Diana and kissing Gilbert's cheek. She ran off in the direction of Green Gables turning one last time to give an explanation.

"Marilla will be expecting me any minute now!" But that was only half of the reason. She needed to talk to Matthew he always knew what to do.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's**** Note: Thank you for all the reviews. I had only expected 2 at most when I began, and then here I look at the count. 26 lovely reviews. Sorry it took so long but high school is demanding and I couldn't get this chapter to sound right. I still don't think I have it yet either. Here you go anyway though.**

Anne tripped into the stables where Matthew was grooming Midnight. The new mare he had gotten from Carmody a month ago. It had a sleek dark charcole black coat,dark blue misty eyes, and a slight bit of moonlight white hair that went from an inch above her stately hooves and ended just before them. Matthew never named a horse before. He never cared to, but Anne had insisted that the creature have a name. She had said that her fur seemed the color of black the sky was at midnight, and Matthew using what little imagination suggested the name. Immediately Anne went into an absolute rapture at it.

Matthew was lost in his memories of the red haired girl. He mindlessly brushed the mare's fur.

"Matthew." Anne said quietly.

He looked up startled. Matthew never expected her to actively seek him out and with good reason. He hadn't really talked much with her recently. She was always out doing something and only coming home for meals. He missed her talking so much. It hadn't occurred to him how dismal it was without her chatter filling every room of the large gabled house.

"Watchya doing out here Anne?" Matthew asked.

"Could I ask you something?" Anne asked.

"Anything you like." He said setting down his grooming brush down.

"Before I ask I might as well tell you everything. Starting from the beginning of this predicament." She said quietly.

"That might help." Matthew said quietly.

"Okay. So I guess it started when most of the class got stuck in the old Sloane Shed. We were all a little shaken. Gilbert was so calm and kind. I guess it just kind of happened..." Anne started.

"What happened?" Matthew asked slowly. Knowing full well what she was about to say.

"He kissed me... Then when we went back to school a few weeks later I tried to forget it ever happened." Anne finished the last sentence in a whisper. She looked down at her boots.

She took a deep breath and decided to continue although he had not replied to what she thought was a shocking confession. After all Matthew understood her better than anyone, and even if he didn't at least she'd get it off her chest."I was not very.. Nice to him to put it lightly."

Matthew nodded his head.

"Well he talked to me when he ran into me on the way to school. I once again was mean. In school Ms. Stacy had us discussing Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen. Specificly Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. We started bickering about it when we each were addressed and I remember what he said before he stormed out. "I thought we were friends, Anne Shirley." Of course I went out after him. I caught up to him pretty soon. It was resolved to say the least." Anne paused to take a breath.

" Then everything should be alright." Matthew reasoned aloud. Not understanding what could be so wrong for her to reveal so much in one breath.

"But it isn't! Oh I don't know what to do anymore. That is why I wanted to talk to you. Gil and I are" she gulped " a couple. We wanted to tell Marilla, his parents and you. Gilbert and I almost told Marilla, but she couldn't believe he was in the house. I'm so mixed up Matthew. What if I am making a mistake?" She nearly cried.

Matthew hugged her close.


	10. Chapter 10

Matthew waited until Anne had calmed down before he pulled back from the hug. "You do know how old you are, right?"

"Of course I do! Fifteen years old next March." Anne smiled slightly.

"Only fifteen. I'd think you were at least twenty with all this drama goin' on."

Anne let out a hollow laugh. "I feel like I want to be twenty sometimes, but if it is even half as stressful as fifteen I think I'd wish I stayed eleven."

"Me too, Anne." Matthew looked at her with affection. He had been noticing recently, the rapidness that Anne was changing. It worried him that maybe he would loose the girl he found at the station.

"You wish you had stayed eleven?" Anne asked.

"No. I wish you had, but we can't turn back the clock. We can only keep moving forward."

"I would rather that was not true." Anne grumbled.

"Well, I can't help you there." he got a full smile.

"Do you know what I should do?"

"I don't know, Anne." He saw the panicked expression on her face. "I can tell you what I think would help."

"Please!" She clasped her hands in a hopeful way.

"Slow down. The Blythe boy, if he cares about you, will wait until your ready. If he doesn't wait, you are better off without him."

...

I've taken out some of the typos in the story, but I'm sure there are more. I cringe when I see some of the frequent mistakes I've made in my early stories (Torment, This story and my first one shot collection. Ugh, I'll never get over Apologies and Apologize. )

I picked this back up because of the pole on my profile page. Yes, I actually look at that :)


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